Method of operation of an automatic spool machine, in particular a crossspool automatic winding machine



June 25, 1968 K. A. MULLERS 3,389,866

METHOD OF OPERATION OF AN AUTOMATIC SPOOL MACHINE, IN PARTICULAR A CROSS-SPOOL AUTOMATIC WINDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 25, 1968 K. A. MULLERS 3,339,866

METHOD OF OPERATION OF AN AUTOMATIC SPOOL MACHINE, IN PARTICULAR A CROSS-SPOOL AUTOMATIC WINDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 8, 1965 4 SheetsSheet 2 FIG. 3

INVENTOR June 25, 1968 K. A. MULLERS 3,389,866

METHOD OF OPERATION OF AN AUTOMATIC SPOOL MACHINE, IN PARTICULAR A CROSS-SPOOL AUTOMATIC WINDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 8, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet :5

l/wzA/rol? June 25, 1968 K. A. MULLERS 3,389,866

METHOD OF OPERATION OF AN AUTOMATIC SPOOL MACHINE. IN PARTICULAR A CROSS-SPOOL AUTOMATIC WINDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 8, 1965 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR United States Patent 0 ABSTRACT GF THE DELGSURE A method of operation of an automatic spool machine, in particular a cross spool automatic winding machine including a stand, a rotor rotatably mounted on the stand and including a plurality of spooling stations having a creel, a knotting device immovably disposed adjacent the spooling stations and passed by the latter during rotation of the rotor and an intermediate storage means having cop receivers, comprising the steps of separating empty cops from partly unwound cops, raising the partly unwound cops to a plane disposed above the intermediate storage means, feeding further the partly unwound cops to common mixed storage device containing new cops and crippled cops, feeding the partly unwound cops, new cops and crippled cops from the common mixed storage device in a falling movement to the cop receivers of the intermediate storage means and to the creel at the corresponding spooling station, sensing each of the cops upon release from the mixed storage device as to its peripheral configuration, and controlling the inclination of falling of the cop in response to the sensing step.

The present invention relates to a method of operation of an automatic spool machine, in particular a cross spool automatic winding machine.

It is known that occurring frequently, during a spooling operation of a cross spool automatic winding machine, which is capable, on the one hand, of performing automatically the formation of knots in case of a thread break and, on the other hand, of performing a cop change by ejecting the empty tube by insertion of a fully wound cop (herein referred to as a new cop), that in the event of a thread break outside of the range of operation of the thread grip as releasing member for the performance of knotting together two thread ends, the thread cannot be gripped. This leads consequently to a situation that in accordance with the program control of such automatic winding machines, the latter is switched to tube ejection, calling for a new cop, thus for a cop change. If such a case occurs, the consequence exists that partly unwound cops (part cops) also will be ejected from the automatic winding machines. These partly unwound cops had to he reinserted manually into a spool mach ne to complete the removal of its thread supply and in order to wind it on a winding spool.

For elimination of this essential additional manual labor, a method of operation of an automatic spool machine. particularly of a cross automatic winding machine has been proposed, according to which the empty tubes are separated from the partly unwound cops at the point of ejection of the spooling station, and the partly unwound cops are brought in the cycle into a releasing position above an intermediate supply station, in the same manner as fully wound new cops, which are then fed from there falling to the cop receiving position of the intermediate supply station and to the creel on the spooling station. In the practical realization of this proposal, it has been, thus, achieved to always reinsert during the Patented June 25, 1958 'ice spooling operation released part cops into a working cycle of the same machine.

An automatic spool machine realized in practice and operating in accordance with the above-stated method has at its tube ejection position an apparatus which is capable of separating empty cop tubes from partly unwound tubes. Here the empty tubes are then ejected, while the partly unwound cops are moved to a conveyor belt, which raises the cops to a releasing plane above an intermediate magazine. From here the partly unwound cops can be released again to this intermediate supply magazine.

This known machine has, in addition to a particular feeding device for these partly unwound cops, also an additional feeding apparatus in the form of a conveyor belt, which, however, feeds exclusively fully Wound new cops to a releasing plane above the intermediate supply magazine. In this releasing plane both releasing mouths of the feeding devices are disposed adjacent each other.

Due to the fact that in such machines two conveyor devices working independently from each other are provided which must be switched separately, once for the release of the new cops, and another time for the release of the partly unwound cops, it is apparent that such machine is, as to its structure, extremely large in volume,

and subject to difficulties and rather expensive.

It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a method of operation of automatic spool machines, and particularly cross spool automatic winding machines, in which the partly unwound cops are fed to a common collecting or mixed storage station containing new cops, as well as cripple cops (that is, a cop having a non-cylindrical or irregular periphery) and wherein each individual cop is sensed upon release from the mixed storage station as to its peripheral configuration. The result of this sensing operation is exploited for the control of the direction of the fall of the cop in relation to the cop receivers.

A spool machine, operating in accordance with the method of the present invention, has thus in relation to a spool machine working in accordance with the previously known methods, a number of decisive advantages. In accordance with the spool machine working in accordance with the method of the present invention, only a single feeding belt or conveyor belt is necessary, which feeds exclusively partly unwound cops from the tube ejection position to the storage above the intermediate storage station. Furthermore, only one single collecting position is required in which mainly, on the one hand, new cops and, on the other hand, partly unwound cops are provided admixed relative to each other. Finally, in this mixed storage station are also provided so-called cripple cops. Thus, structurally very decisive advantages are achieved compared with the previously known machines.

Since it is a basic presumption for a trouble-free and friction-free operation of an automatic spool machine that the cops released from the storage station are delivered safely to the intermediate storage, on the one hand, and to the creel of the machine, on the other hand, which is, however, practically possible only if the cops on the falling guide of the cops, which is disposed between the main storage position and the intermediate storage station and the creel which is disposed within the range between the latter, come to rest such that the median longitudinal axis of the cop tube of each of the cops to be transmitted coincides with the median longitudinal axis of the intermediate storage station and the creel of the machine, respectively, it is now additionally proposed, in accordance with the present invention, to sense each individual cop after its release from the mixing storage station as to its perpiheral configuration, whereby the result of this sensing operation is exploited for control g of therchange of the falling direction of the cops in relation to the cop receivers.

It is even possible to go one step further, by sensing each cop twice and, in particular for the first time during the transfer from the mixed storage position into the intermediate storage station and for the second time during the transfer from the intermediate storage station to the creel of the spooling station.

Due to this double sensing of each cop, it is obtained with safety that each cop, that is, each new cop, as well as each partly unwound cop and also each cripple cop, is treated individually, since care is taken that its direction of falling is influenced such that the longitudinal axis of the cop tube in each case coincides with the longitudinal axis of the cop receivers. By this arrangement is is obtained that each cop to be worked in the machine according to the present invention, on the one hand, arrives safely from the mixed storage station to the intermediate storage station, and, on the other hand, likewise with great safety from the latter to the creel of the machine. A passing of the cops on their cop receivers is thus excluded.

Due to this fact that in the realization of the method of the present invention each of the cops is individually sensed and, thereby, its direction of falling is influenced individually, it is achieved by the method of the present invention for the first time, to submit in a machine operating in accordance with the method of the present invention also so-called cripple cops, which, in the same manner as the partly unwound cops are disposed admixed with new cops at first in a collection storage station, whereby then due to the proposed sensing in accordance with the present invention, care is taken that each cop safely reaches the intermediate magazine station and from there also safely reaches the creel of the machine.

The problem resides in the fact that cripple cops, on the one hand, and partly unwound cops, on the other hand, both of which have the draw-back that concerning the thread winding, they have an irregular, and not a completely cylindrical peripheral surface, as normally fully wound cops, and cannot be fed without difi'iculty, due to the irregular characteristics of the periphery of the cops, the longitudinal center axis of the cop tube is no longer disposed parallel to the engaging face of the falling guide, but rather assumes an inclined position relative thereto with the consequence that by this center displacement the cops would pass by the reception of the intermediate magazine station in the same manner as on the creel of the machine. By the individual sensing of each of the cops, the direction of falling is changed such,

that each cop reaches, on the one hand, centrally into the intermediate storage and, on the other hand, the creel.

Upon performance of a further method step of the present invention by the sensing of the peripheral shape of the cops, a relative displacement between the falling guide of the cops and the magazine pocket of the intermediate storage magazine receiving the intermediate storage, on the one hand, and/ or of the falling guide between the releasing magazine pocket of the intermediate storage magazine and the creel of the spool position, on the other hand, is obtained in accordance with a sensing result. Thus, an assurance is given that a corresponding change of the falling direction between the falling guide and the corresponding reception is performed also in accordance with the sensing operation.

Su'mmarily, the practical realization of the method of the present invention brings about the advantage that the machine exercising the method is not only structurally appreciably simplified, but also there is achieved that now not only new cops can be fed to the automatic winding machine, but also partly unwound cops and also cripple cops, whereby it is possible to distinguish by the individual sensing of each of the cops, which one of the cops is present and in which manner the direction of falling of the sensed cop must be changed, in order to bring it safely into the intermediate storage magazine and from there safely to the creel. This is an advantage which has been accomplished for the first time by the present invention. Thus, the apparatus operating in accordance with the method of the present invention is capable of working each of the cops automatically up to the last thread winding.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent inthe following detailed description, the present invention will be. clearly understood in connection wit-h the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of a spool automatic winding machine designed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the spool automatic winding machine disclosed in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevation shown at enlarged scale of the cops feeding from the mixed storage to the intermediate storage magazine and from there to the cops creel of the machine;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view at about the same scale as FIG. 3 of the cops feeding as shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an elevation of a new cop having a normal cylindrical configuration with the sensing device in sensing position;

FIG. 6 is an elevation, corresponding to that of FIG. 5, in connection with the so-called cripple cop; and

FIG. 7 is an elevation similar to that of FIG. 5, yet in connection with a partly unwound cop.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIGS. 1 to 4, the spool automatic winding machine comprises a frame 10, which carries a rotor 11 on which the individual spoolin-g stations 12 are disposed. This rotor 11 passes the spooling stations 12 relative to an immovably disposed knotting device 13, which includes a thread knotting means (not shown) of any conventional structure, as well as an intermediate storage magazine 16 formed of a plurality of individual pockets 15 and driven intermittently. The drive which performs the individual working movements of the knotting device 13 is likewise in a housing portion receiving the knotting device 13. Furthermore, the knotting device 13 is equipped with a suction pipe socket 17, which extends within the range of the winding spool 18 and sucks up during a cop change the thread end, disposed on the winding up side of the winding spool from the winding spool 18 and leading the thread end through the knotting device 13, so that it can be knotted with the thread start of the new mounted cop.

As can be determined further from the drawings, in this automatic winding machine creels 36 for reception of the cops 19, 19a and 19b are disposed on rod-like downwardly directed holders 2%), which constitute one part of the spooling station 12. The thread 21 is taken from the cop 19 over the head of the latter and passes the operating range of a disturber of the balloon of the yarn 22, as well as a thread cleaning and breaking device 23. The thread is displaced by means of a thread displacing device, for instance, a grooved drum 24 or the like to the winding spool 18 mounted in spool holder 25.

The operation of such automatic winding machine is base-d, as it is known, on the fact that the individual spool stations 12 are advanced in case of a disturbance, for instance, in case of a run-out cop to the immovable knotting device 13. Here the particular spooling station 12 is brought to a standstill for a short time period for the purpose of changing the cops, whereby the empty tube is ejected and a new cop is fed thereto from the storage. After knotting the thread start of the new cop with the thread end of the unwound cop, sucked-off by means of the suction pipe socket 17 from the winding spool 18, the spooling station is switched to continued operation in the direction of thread displacement onto the winding spool. Furthermore, this knotting device can perform in case of a simple thread break a knotting together .ofthe thread ends.

In the present embodiment of a cross spool automatic winding machine, new cop 19, cripple cop 19a and partly unwound cop 19b are stored admixed provisionally in a joint storage container 26. A reception device 27 is disposed below this collecting or mixing storage container 26 on which reception device 27 each cop released from the storage container 26 is deposited. Each cop 19, 19a and 19b, respectively, is sensed without exception on this deposit device 27 by a sensing member 28, whereby changes of the peripheral configuration of the particular cop are observed, registered and this sensing result is transmitted to a transmission control (not shown), which can be designed as a mechanical control means, as electrical, electronic, photoelectric or any other type of control, whereby this control corresponding with the sensing indication controls the inclined position of the falling guide 29 between the storage container 26 and the magazine 16.

The falling guide is, thereby, for instance, formed as a double crossed frame linkage, which is mounted with its one end at pivot points 30. At its other end an adjusting rod 31 is likewise pivotally connected, which adjusting rod 31 is driven, for instance, by means of a rotary drive 32, so that the falling guide is moved in the direction indicated by an arrow in FIG. 1. The transmission control operates thus on the rotary drive.

Care is furthermore taken on this falling guide 29 that by a particular device 33, the cop is maintained, on the one hand, in a predetermined position below a suction pipe socket 34 and is in addition subjected to rotation so that the thread start of the cop can be sucked-up.

By this sensing of each of the cops 19, 19a and 1912, respectively, it is brought about that the falling guide 29, as to its inclined position to the magazine pocket 15, is adjusted individually for each peripheral configuration of the cops.

The cops 19, 19a and 19b, respectively, are moved further from the magazine pocket 15 over a slide 35 to the creel 36 of the spooling station, and sensing of the cops can be performed for the determination of changes of the peripheral surface of the cops, for which a sensing device 37 is likewise provided here, which operates in the same manner as the sensing device 28. Here likewise changes of the periphery of the cops are transmitted by a transmission control to a rotary drive 38, which is pivotally connected by means of an adjusting rod 39 with the end of the slide 35 pointing to the creel 36. This slide 35 is capable of changing its inclination about the pivot point 40 in the direction of the arrow indicated in FIGS. 1 and 3, so that here also an orderly falling of the cops from the magazine pocket 15 onto the creel 36 can take place.

Referring now again to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 5-7, the actual sensing operation can comprise, by example, a housing member 28 or 37 which is pivotally secured to one end of a carrying rod 41, while the other end of the carrying rod 41 is connected with a driving lever 43 by means of a pivot 42. The driving lever 43 is capable of moving the sensing member 28 and 37, respectively, in the direction towards the cops 19, 19a and 19b and again away from the latter. The member carrying end of the carrying rod 41 extends, in the given example, between two contacts 44, which are rendered operative as control contacts for the transmission control in the direction of adjustment of the falling guide, if by turning of the sensing member 28 and 37, respectively, one of the contacts 44 is operated. These working phases are shown in FIG. 6 in connection with a crippled cop 19a and in FIG. 7 in connection with a partly unwound cop 19b. Furthermore, an additional contact 45 is provided for the control of the starting and shut-off movement. Thus, not only the sensing, but also the transmission control, dependent upon the sensing operation, are performed automatically.

Referring now again to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 3 and 4, a conveying device 46 is disposed on the tube ejection station, which removes empty tubes, as well as partly unwound cops 1% out of the range of the machine. At the point 47 the empty tubes are separated from the partly unwound cops 1%, by ejecting the empty tubes and permitting the continued run of and releasing the partly unwound cops 19b to another conveyance device 48, which carries the partly unwound cops 1% into the range above the collecting or mixed storage container 26. A throw-slide 49 provides that the fed partly unwound cops 1% fall into the storage container 26. By the latter mentioned conveyance device, a closed working cycle with full-automatic operation is obtained, with transportation also of the partly unwound cops 1% completely mechanically without any manual labor from the ejection position of the machine to the main storage station of the machine.

The empty tubes, which are separated from the partly unwound cops 1912 at the position 47, can fall, for instance, through a bottom recess of a slide into a collection container 50, which stands thcrebelow on the ground. It is possible, however, also to convey further the empty tubes by means of a special apparatus.

It is to be understood that for this purpose conventional conveying devices can be applied, as for instance, an endless conveyor belt, a conveyor having a gripping arm or any other suitable conveying means.

In summary, it should be mentioned that for the practical realization of the cops-sensing method with transmission control, dependent upon the sensing in devia tion from the elements disclosed, by example, other structural elements can be used. Important is the fact that in accordance with the present invention it is now possible to feed partly unwound cops, which are formed by a thread break outside the range of operation of the thread gripper for the knotting process, to a full-automatic working on a cross-spool automatic winding machine, as well as so-called crippled cops, which arrive from the spinning plant already in a condition deviating from the cylindrical normal configuration of a cop, which configuration is changed concerning its periphery, whereby all types of cops are disposed mixed up in a single, common storage and each is treated individually by means of a sensing operation.

While I have disclosed one embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that this embodiment is given by example only and not in a limiting sense, the scope of the present invention being determined by the objects and the claims.

I claim:

1. A method of operation of an automatic spool machine, in particular a cross spool automatic winding machine, including a stand, a rotor rotatably mounted on said stand and including a plurality of spooling stations having a creel, a knotting device immovably disposed adjacent said spooling stations and passed by the latter during rotation of said rotor and an intermediate storage means having cop receivers, comprising the steps of separating empty cops from partly unwound cops,

raising said partly unwound cops to a plane disposed above said intermediate storage means,

feeding said partly unwound cops to common mixed storage device containing new cops and crippled cops, feeding further said partly unwound cops, new cops and crippled cops from said common mixed storage device in a falling movement to said cop receivers of said intermediate storage means and then to said creel at the corresponding spooling station,

sensing each of said cops upon release from said mixed storage device as to its peripheral configuration, and

controlling the inclination of falling of said cops to said cop receivers in response to said sensing step.

2. The method, as set forth in claim 1, which includes the steps of 7 8 sensing each of said cops during feeding of said cops 4. The method, as set forth in claim 3, which includes from said intermediate storage means to said creel the step of of the corresponding spooling tati and adjusting the inclination of falling of said cops between controlling the inclination of falling of said cops to said id i di Smrage means d id creel for Creel 5 said cops at said spooling stations. 3. The method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of controlling the inclination of falling of R f en e Cited said cops includes adjusting a uide for said cops located between said mixed storage means and said UNITED STATES PATENTS intermediate storage means between which said cop 10 3,195,298 7/1965 Furst 242-355 X is controlled in response to sensing the peripheral configuration of said cops. STANLEY N. GILREATH, Primary Examiner. 

